Nitish Kumar welcomes his son Nishant Kumar on his birthday in Patna. | Photo credit: ANI
A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar filed his nomination papers in the Rajya Sabha, he assured the emotional leader of his Janata Dal (United) party that he will not abandon them and will continue to monitor the state’s development.
During a crucial meeting at his official residence on Friday (March 6, 2026), JD(U) leaders also offered their “unreserved” support to Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar, who plans to join the party on March 8 and then tour the state.
“At a meeting of JD(U) MPs, ministers and legislators held at the Chief Minister’s official residence, Mr. Kumar assured the party leaders that they need not worry at all as he will be with them (even after leaving for RS). He will continue to monitor the development work of Bihar,” JD(U) meeting spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told reporters.
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“Nishant Takes the Party Forward”
Asked about Nishant Kumar, Neeraj Kumar said, “Though he was not present in the meeting, his voice was there. He will become the primary member of the party on March 8 and then he will travel across the state.”
Earlier, Bihar Minority Welfare Minister and JD(U) leader Zama Khan had said that Nishant Kumar would join the party on March 5, but it did not happen. In a meeting on Friday (March 6, 2026), the proposal for Nishant Kumar to join the party came from JD(U) working president Sanjay Kumar Jha and was “wholeheartedly” supported by all party leaders, Neeraj Kumar said. “The whole party is behind Nishant Kumar… He will be active in politics,” he added.
“Nishant Kumar will take the party forward,” added senior JD(U) leader Rajeev Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, who is also the Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Products.
Ahead of the session, JD(U) Bihar president Umesh Kushwaha was re-elected to the post unopposed for his third consecutive term. He is the MLA representing Mahnar in Vaishali district.
Earlier in the day, CM’s representatives Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, both from BJP, met the CM behind closed doors at his official residence. The details of their actions are not known.
Rajya Sabha poll prospects
On March 5, Mr. Kumar and four other NDA candidates filed their nomination papers for the five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar that fell vacant on April 9. The lone opposition candidate, Amarendra Dhari Singh of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, also filed papers for his renomination. He told reporters later on Friday (March 6, 2026) that he had secured the support of the 41 MLAs needed to win the Upper House election.
“One does not come to the polls to be defeated. I have the support of 41 MLAs and I will win the poll,” he said when he came to the state legislature for scrutiny of his nomination papers on Friday (March 6, 2026). Elections to five Rajya Sabha seats are scheduled to be held on March 16. According to their nomination papers, Mr. Singh is the richest of the six candidates from Bihar, while Nitish Kumar is the poorest.
The BJP has also fielded its national president Nitin Nabin and former MLA Shivesh Kumar, while the JD (U) has fielded Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur, besides the Bihar CM. Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Upendra Kushwaha was the NDA’s fifth candidate. Both Mr. Thakur and Mr. Kushwaha are MPs seeking renomination.
With 202 NDA MLAs in the 243-member State Assembly, the ruling alliance will need the support of only three more MLAs to win the fifth seat. The opposition, which has 35 MLAs, will need the support of six legislators beyond their alliance to retain a single seat.
Published – 06 March 2026 21:40 IST
